Paul

As a homeowner, I am constantly experimenting with making the structure of my house more energy-efficient, eliminating pests, and taking on DIY home improvement projects. Over the past two decades, my family has rehabbed houses and contracted new home builds and I've learned a lot along the way. I share my hard-learned lessons so that you can save time and money by not repeating my mistakes.

I had a horrible issue with the upstairs floor squeaking under the carpet when walked on a few years ago. Floor squeaks occur when the subfloor separates from the floor frame. Here are 7 steps on how you can fix a squeaky subfloor under the carpet. Identify exactly where the subfloor is squeaking. Find out …

Learning how to hang drywall panels flawlessly is an important skill for any DIY enthusiast. Using incorrect hanging techniques means your finished walls and ceilings might sport noticeable seam lines. Perfecting the skill takes practice but having the right techniques and materials is a step in the right direction. Drywall corners should NOT overlap when …

We all know that a toaster oven’s job is to heat our breakfasts. Although it’s bound to be warm, the device isn’t supposed to heat its plug. Your toaster oven plug gets hot because your power outlet is likely overheating. Overheating happens when the circuit is running more devices than it can handle at once. …

If you’re finding yourself struggling to open your garage door, the most likely cause would be a broken or nonfunctional spring. But how important can this small component of a garage door be when it comes to its usability? Well, as it turns out, very. A garage door cannot work without springs because the springs …

Drywall mud is a mixed compound consisting of gypsum dust and water. The consistency is similar to that of cake frosting. Drywall mud is commonly used to seal joints to create a smooth base when creating walls. Drywall mud is capable of sticking to concrete; however, it does degrade over time. This is due to …

The sight of pipes behind a toilet may not suit the overall decor in your bathroom. Also, you may not want the protruding pipes if you’re aiming for a seamless appearance where all the fixtures should be flawlessly flush. Naturally, you have to figure out how to hide the pipes behind a toilet. Here are …

Replacing windows is a significant investment. In fact, according to Remodeling’s 2017 Cost vs Value Report, the average homeowner can expect to recoup approximately 73-74% of their window replacement costs in resale value. However, you may want your replacement windows to stay within budget and not require any additional work during the installation process, which …

When microwaves share a breaker with other appliances, they tend to work less efficiently because microwaves can hog the current if other devices aren’t drawing much power. It can lead to an uneven cook or a longer cook time. So does it mean your microwave should be on its own breaker? A microwave should be …

Sometimes microwaves malfunction in ways we don’t understand. For example, it turns on when opening the door, which isn’t normal — so if yours does the same thing, what could be the problem? If your microwave turns on when opening the door it’s likely because its door is faulty. Usually, the latch on the door …

Sheetrock is the material of choice in covering walls and ceilings in many homes. But which should you install first — walls or ceiling? You should always sheetrock the ceiling before the walls. Installing the ceiling sheetrock first makes the process faster and allows you to create tighter corners, as the walls butt up to …